He shakes his head. “I want to watch your face.”

“Oh-kay.” I take a deep breath and press Play.

Immediately Lorelai’s song begins. She’s standing in a cornfield, in jeans and a white tank, breeze blowing through her hair. She looks so good. Utterly healthy, graceful, and sharp as a tack. I’m so proud of her I could scream. Then, my breath catches in my throat as the first image, some ancient footage, starts to roll on the screen. It’s home video from the set of Jackson. We can’t be more than ten and eleven, maybe. First season for sure. I’m in between Cameron and Lyle, hamming it up. Gap in my teeth, frizzy hair. We’re singing something, and Lyle and I are staring at the camera, behind which I assume is Cam’s mom. But Cam is looking at me. There’s more home-video footage of our years on Jackson, and you see us gradually age. During tutoring, while playing cards, some low-key red-carpet premieres. Sometimes the three of us, but mostly just Cam and me. By the time my vocals layer into the song, we’re in our late teens, and it’s clear as day that I’m crushing on my costar. Clip after clip of us staring, laughing, blushing, flirting … even one of us sneaking off, hand in hand.

It’s … so sweet, so pure. I can barely stand it.

Cut to Lorelai looking gorgeous, sitting on a dock under the shade of some willow trees. She’s wearing a pretty cotton dress and is cradling a guitar in her lap, strumming like she was born for it.

Because she was.

The song changes, and there’s a few clips of us apart … nothing sinister. More red carpets, Nat Geo, even Michigan in those early years when I was still learning and too thin in my overalls. Shadows under both our eyes. Tears prickle hot along my lashes as I realize, for maybe the first time, how forlorn we were apart from each other. Just going through the motions on our way to becoming who we are, together.

Lorelai appears again, this time on stage in Kevin’s bar. The place is empty, except for shadows, and she belts it out under the hot lights. She looks fierce and fiery in a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and a bright-red halter top and matching lipstick. Grown, matured, ready to take over the world.